Chapter 61 Chapter Sixty-one
Ellie
My lips quivered as my teeth ground against each other. I clenched the letter in my fist, gripping it so tightly it felt as though it might tear apart at any moment.
“Claus… what is this?” My voice came out unsteady, betraying me.
He studied me for a few long seconds before looking away. I lowered my gaze and read the letter again in silence, as if rereading it might somehow change what was written.
“I don’t know,” he said at last, his tone controlled, almost too cold. His fingers slid through his hair in agitation. “I’m just as confused as you are. I found it in the healer’s house. Do you have any idea what this means?”
The healer’s house? He found one there too? What was happening?
My heart thundered in my chest, my breath turning shallow and uneven. Why was all of this happening to me? Had I wronged someone in a past life, and was this the punishment finally catching up to me?
Perhaps I should shave my head, dress in sackcloth and ashes, climb to the highest place, and beg the heavens for forgiveness.
When I looked back at Claus, his eyes were fixed on me. They were rimmed with red, his nostrils flaring, his jaw locked tight. The look he gave me was icy—cold, distant.
“Claus,” I snapped, my voice sharp, “what exactly are you trying to say?”
His eyes dropped, guilt washing over his face. “I didn’t mean anything. I was just—”
“Just what?” I cut in. “Just wondering if I cheated on you?” His head jerked up, mouth falling open, eyes wide with shock. “Don’t act surprised,” I continued bitterly. “That thought has been eating at you all day. That’s why you’ve been looking at me like that—cold, distant, judging me with every glance.”
“Ellie, calm down,” he said carefully. “You’re taking this too far—”
“Too far?” A harsh laugh tore out of me, as if it could drain even a fraction of the anger burning inside. I stepped closer, his height looming over me, my hand barely reaching his shoulder. “I’m not the one who took it too far—you did.” I jabbed a finger into his chest. “Why ask me if I knew about something that’s just as strange to me? You’ve been questioning everything about me, every word, every move—”
“Enough, Ellie,” he snapped. His voice boomed through the room like thunder.
I flinched, stumbling back. Tears pooled at the edges of my eyes, my throat tightening as I fought them down. I curled my hands into fists, forcing myself to stand there, pretending to be strong when I felt like I was breaking apart.
“Yes, I had those thoughts—and so what?” he shot back. “Does that change anything? Everything, for some reason, points straight at you. You’re friends with Cyprus. The letter was found in her house.”
My hand flew to my mouth as his words sank in. Shock rooted me in place, and the tears I’d been fighting spilled down my cheeks at last.
He went on, relentless. “One day I’m infertile, the next I’m suddenly capable of fathering a child. Do you really think I wouldn’t start questioning things? Wouldn’t grow suspicious? Do you—”
I didn’t let him finish.
My hand cut through the air.
Smack.
The sound echoed between us. I had slapped Claus.
Guilt twisted in my chest instantly, but his words had cut too deep—I couldn’t bear them. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at me, his hand rising slowly to cradle his cheek. This was the first time I had ever chosen violence over restraint.
I pointed a trembling finger at him, my chest heaving. “Enough of your accusations,” I snapped. “What do you think—that I cheated on you and asked Cyprus to lie about you being able to father a child? I am better than that, Claus, whether you know it or not. Enough of the insults.”
My voice broke as I pressed a hand to my stomach. “You’ve hurt me… and you’ve hurt our unborn child. And I won’t stand for it anymore.”
He shook his head in open contempt.
“I didn’t hurt you, Ellie,” he spat. “You’re the one who hurt me. You humiliated me. You dragged that bastard into—”
I raised my hand to strike him again, but he was faster this time. He caught my wrist midair, his grip crushing, twisting until pain shot up my arm. A whimper escaped my lips as I struggled against him.
“Let go of me, Claus,” I cried. “You’re hurting me.”
“You’ve pushed me far enough, Ellie,” he sneered. “I won’t tolerate this anymore.”
“You’ve had enough too,” I shot back, my voice shaking with fury. “Call me whatever name you want, but don’t you dare call my unborn child a bastard.” My breath hitched. “How could you be so cruel? Your own child. Our child.” The words shattered, and tears spilled before I could stop them.
Suddenly, a scream tore through the room—sharp, raw, and filled with terror. It wasn’t an ordinary cry. Claus and I both turned toward the door at once. Using his moment of distraction, I yanked my wrist free.
The scream came again, louder this time—no longer a single voice, but many. Panic rippled through the air. In a heartbeat, Claus bolted out of the room. I followed, clutching the hem of my gown so I could run.
The hallway was packed, bodies pressed together as pack members crowded in, all craning their necks, murmuring anxiously, desperate to see what had happened.
When I finally pushed through the mass of people, I saw Eliza—one of the maids—collapsed on the floor, surrounded by others. She was trembling violently, her face drained of color, terror etched into every feature. I rushed to her side.
“Eliza, what happened?” I asked.
Her lips quivered, parting as if to speak, but no sound came. Slowly, her trembling finger lifted, pointing down the corridor.
I followed her gesture—and my breath caught. Soldiers surrounded the area, and Claus was already there. I hurried forward, but he noticed me and tried to block my path. I slipped past him before he could stop me.
The sight before me stole the air from my lungs. My head spun, my knees buckled, and a bitter taste flooded my mouth as nausea surged. I clamped a hand over my lips, fighting the urge to vomit.
I gasped, my head spin and I feel my knees going weak. Bitterness creep into my throat and a feel a bolts of nausea building up. I cover my mouth to stop myself from throwing up.